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Sunday, February 23, 2014

H-O-M-E-R is his Name-O

So, we are home now!!!! Boy what a time we had while we were in Team Training for Kaden's Service Dog. We learned so much while we were there and Kaden did Amazzzzzing! We were prepared for Meltdown 2014 to happen while we were there, but besides a few here and there he was fairly calm and compliant. Our days started early and ended late, I think the hardest thing for him was not having his quiet time space for him to hide out and be alone. Everyday he stayed in for all the lectures and all the command trainings and demonstrations. He was a Champ and actually helped us out with some answers on our nightly homework we had to do. I do think he went a little over board with the snacks, he probably ate his weight in cookies. :)

The first few days we worked with about 6 different dogs and then we met this one sweet angel....Homer! Kaden practiced the Lap Command and he licked his face and it was love at 1st sight. When we had our 1on1 with the Fabulous Trainers we told them our 2 Favorite dogs and what we needed for Kaden. Our fingers stayed crossed till the next morning.

On Pre-match Day they laid blankets down and the Kiddos all sat down on each one and waited for them to announce our matches. Kaden was the 3rd match I think.... I was sooooo nervous because he had been praying all night long for Homer to be his match. To my left, across the room I saw Shannon with Homer. And all of a sudden I hear Kaden is Pre-matched with......HOMER!!!! Yay, we all flipped out and was so excited!!!! Pre-match means that he would be going back to Our dorm room and we would only be working with him for the next 5 or 6 days until the final match is announced. If any time during those days we don't work well with him or we feel it's just not right we could be matched with another dog. To make this day even better it was Kaden's Birthday too!!! My Boy was sooooo Happy!!!

Long story short, we had a Fabulous week with him and worked well. We went on field trips with him and bonded with him during our down time and basically he became Family!!! After the 2 weeks we were able to meet Homer's puppy raiser and that was like a small Family Reunion. I never thought that meeting them would mean so much to me. But, it was so precious to me, because she was the one who raised him for 18 months and took him to trainings and worked with him. She poured all the LOVE in the world into him and shaped him into the sweet Love Bug that he is. I can't wait to share all the things that Homer does to help Kaden daily.....I'll post that soon.

After Our meeting with the Puppy raisers we went to Our Graduation Ceremony. It was Beautiful and Kaden was so excited that afterwards we were going to be heading home. And this new Fury Person, his New Buddy was going to be with us always!!! We are so Blessed, Thank You Lord!!!!

That's so wonderful. Dear friends of ours had a very bumpy road to get a service dog for their child, but in the end they have a wonderful match for her. I hope Kaden and Homer are as happy as Faith and Daisy (her dog) have been.

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I'm a Mom to 3 Amazing kids! Skylar, Mahala and Kaden. Here you will read about my life as a Homeschooling Mom dealing with Lupus. I share about Kaden's journey with Autism and how it takes over our lives at times. I Review products, talk about my Faith in God and how it Grows every single day. I pray daily for pain free days, less meltdowns and craziness. My newest passion for Essential Oils is allowing me to see more of those kind of days!! I'll be sharing as I learn because I feel I have found the answer for a more balanced life for my Family. I look forward to your questions and getting to know you too. Be Blessed!